Bandai Hyper Dragon
The Hyper Dragon (Japanese: ハイパードラゴン) is a yo-yo released in Japan by Bandai in December 1998 as a product of the Hyper Yo-Yo line. General Overview The Hyper Dragon is a modular yo-yo that can be customized by the user for different styles of play, with a variety of components to choose from. When one customizes his Hyper Dragon yo-yo to the desired settings, he/she can lock the components in place with the Dragon Tool, which can also be used to take apart the yo-yo. Each Hyper Dragon yo-yo generally consists of these parts; *'Body': The body halves of the yo-yo, containing the starburst response system, as well as the areas where the Frame Caps can be attached. The shape determines the yo-yo's playing style, ranging from looping, string play, and even offstring play. There is also a body that turns the Hyper Dragon into a metal yo-yo similar to the Tom Kuhn Silver Bullet 2 and the ProYo Cold Fusion. It also has pegs to where the Rearrange/Heavy Weights could be attached. *'Rearrange/Heavy Weights': These removable rim weights add to the weight of the yo-yo. They are usually sold separately as standalone components (see Accessories in the Product Listings below) and are optional, but are vital for customizations nonetheless. They are made of plastic or plastic with metal rims. These parts can also be used in the later Hyper Dragoon Pro. *'Metal Axle': The shaft in the center of the yo-yo, to which the Body halves, Bearing, and Frame Caps (see below) are attached. *'Bearing': The unit which allows the yo-yo to spin when thrown down. Most complete Hyper Dragon yo-yos come with a Nylon Bearing out of the box. The Nylon Bearing also comes with a Prop Ring, which helps it fit onto the Metal Axle. The Nylon Bearing was also available as a standalone component, as well as the Metal Bearing, which is a precision ball bearing. The Metal Bearing can also be used in the Hyper Dragoon Pro. Also sold was the Non-Slip Bearing, which makes the yo-yo act like a fixed-axle model. It also comes with a Prop Ring to help it fit onto the axle. *'Frame Caps': These side caps attach to the sides of the Body halves, and the most important component; it has the mechanism that can be used to lock the components of the yo-yo in place with the Dragon Tool. Consists of an aluminum frame with a plastic lens, along with the locking joints. The plastic lens of the Frame Caps are a bit fragile, making them prone to cracking. The basic form of the Hyper Dragon out of the box features the Normal Body (in blue), Frame Caps, and Nylon Bearing. However, some people had viewed the customization aspect of the Hyper Dragon as something of a novelty. Along with that, the yo-yo had longevity issues, especially where the plastic covering of the aluminum Frame Caps tended to get cracked. Product listings Complete Yo-yos *Hyper Dragon *Hyper Dragon Fire *Hyper Dragon Aqua *Hyper Dragon THP Japan Special Accessories *HD-01 Rearrange Weight Set 5g *HD-02 Hyper Dragon String Play Type Body *HD-03 Hyper Dragon Metal Bearing Set *HD-04 Hyper Dragon Non-Slip Bearing Set *HD-05 Hyper Dragon Nylon Bearing Set *HD-06 Hyper Dragon Metal Axle *HD-07 Rearrange Weight Set 7g *HD-08 Hyper Dragon Normal Body *HD-09 Heavy Weight Set 10g *HD-10 Hyper Dragon Dedicated Control Loop Body *HD-11 Hyper Dragon Soft Ring Body Set *HD-12 Hyper Dragon Heavy Metal Body *HD-13 Heavy Weight Set 15g *HD-14 Hyper Dragon String Play Type Body 2 *HD-15 Hyper Dragon Off-String Body Gallery BandaiHyperDragon2.jpg|Exploded parts view Bandaihyperdragonblack.jpg|A red Hyper Dragon with black-tinted caps in packaging (from Dave Schulte's collection) BandaiHyperDragonRedPackaging.jpg|Packaging for the red Hyper Dragon HyperdragonOS.jpg|Hyper Dragon w/ Off-String Play Type Body (from Dave Schulte's collection) Hyperdragonmetal.jpg|Hyper Dragon w/ Heavy Metal Body (from Dave Schulte's collection) TV ad Trivia *The Hyper Dragon was also featured prominently in the anime and manga series, Supersonic Spinners A.K.A. Super Yo-Yo. *The concept of a customizable yo-yo by Bandai returns in 2011's HyperCluster series. Similarly, Yomega, whose products were also distributed in Japan as part of the Hyper Yo-Yo range, released their own modular yo-yo line, dubbed Yo-Mods. External Link(s) *Bandai Hyper Dragon at the Museum of Yo-Yo History *Hyper Dragon Complete Guide on the Wayback Machine Category:Yo-yo Category:Hyper Yo-Yo products Category:Japanese yo-yos Category:Adjustable-body yo-yos Category:1990s yo-yos Category:Discontinued yo-yos